The Fear and Hatred Against Arabs and Muslims In America

In “The Allegory of the Cave”, Plato writes of prisoners in a cave who can only see images on a wall and concludes, “All in all, then, what people in this situation would take for truth would be nothing more than the manufactured objects” (1). Basically, Plato is saying that when people look in only one direction they cannot know what he whole truth is. Their perceptions and beliefs will keep them n the dark and in chains because they are limited to only what they see in front of them. Unawareness breeds ignorance and fear because it will never produce “truth and reason” (3), which are necessary for “anyone who is going to act wisely either in private life or in public life” (3). It is in this spirit that I’d like to examine our beliefs about our fear and hatred against Arabs and Muslims in America today. According to Amnesty International’s “The Truth About Racial Profiling: Five Facts”, “…the expansion of racial profiling after the September 11th attacks appears to have contributed to a climate of discrimination that indirectly encourage hate crimes against certain minority groups and people who look like them by conveying the message that such discrimination is acceptable and helpful in fighting terrorism.” The tragic events of 9/11 do not help in abating the xenophobia that exists today and the roots that Arabs and Muslims are ‘evil’ had been painted to the public by film industry well before that date. There are also groups of people and organizations that keep this stereotype alive because it suits their purposes and agendas. We need to expose the myths and lies about Arabs and Muslims so that we can begin to act wisely and fairly.

The murders that were committed by the nineteen hijackers on September 11 exacerbated the stereotype of Arabs and Muslims as ‘evil’ terrorists and religious ‘fanatics’. Immediately after, we were a nation in shock and fear was rampant that soon turned to hate. I remember a country coming together to help one another but I also remember hearing stories about people acting based on their fears and anger. The following incidents were collected by http://www.arabbar.org’s “White Paper: Preliminary Report on Hate Crimes Against Arabs and Muslims in the United States” that illustrate what was happening around our country. “CNN reported on September 17, 2001 multi-state shooting deaths of a Sikh (Indian of Hindu faith) wearing a turban and a Pakistani garage attendant; both deaths are believed related to the backlash against Arab/Muslim-Americans”…”The head of Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee claims that Arab-American community is “keeping its head down for the moment…don’t want to be conspicuous right now. Being inconspicuous for most members means staying home, not going to work, not even going out to shop”…”At an Arab-American Family Support Center in Brooklyn, a counselor reports…that they have received ‘hundreds of calls from Arab-Americans who have been threatened by people who blame the community for the attacks. The center also has documented reports of physical assaults in the Atlantic Avenue area, which has a large population of Americans from Yemen, Lebanon and other Arab nations”…”Brooklyn police confirm presence of armed guards to protect one retail establishment after numerous death threats to the Arab-American proprietor. Local police now guard his office and walk him to and from work everyday”…”A 17-year –old Palestinian student reported that her health teacher told her class at a high school in Brooklyn that ‘Palestinian children all want to become terrorists’ “. These are just a few examples of the discrimination and crimes committed right after 9/11.

The depiction and mythmaking images by film industry contribute to our fear and hatred of Arabs and Muslims. In “The Aftermath of September 11, 2001:The Targeting of Arabs and Muslims in America”, Susan Akram writes, “…In American society about Arabs and Muslims, media and film have found a ready audience for dangerous and one-dimensional images…Jack Shaheen’s meticulous work reviewing 900 Hollywood films over a period of four years is the most convincing evidence of deliberate vilifying of Arabs and Muslims by the movie industry…(they are) portrayed as terrorists or dishonest sub-humans…According to Shaheen there are only five Arab ‘types’: villains, sheikhs, maidens, Egyptians and Palestinians…women are…weak and mute, covered in black or as scantily clad belly dancers”(66). Over three and a half million Arab-Americans live in the US, yet only five percent of the 900 films had Arabs portrayed in a good light as protagonists. As an explanation, there is a political agenda behind some people making these films. “…one-seventh of all films made since the 1970‘s have been shot in Israel or made by Israeli teams” (66). There are few images of Arabs depicted in films living ordinary lives, those who have families and roots in their communities. In short, the film industry has succeeded in stereotyping the Arab Americans and Muslims for the American public. There are many Arab Americans who are excellent role models and examples for us to aspire to but we are not aware of their ethnic origins. The following is a list of Arab-Americans have contributed to our society: Kahlil Gibran-poet/philosopher/author of “The Prophet”, George Mitchell-Former Senate Majority Leader, Doug Flutie-NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, Jacques Nasser-Former CEO, Ford Motor Company, Candy Lightner-Founder of “Mothers Against Drunk Driving”, Danny Thomas-Comedian and founder of St. Jude’s children Hospital, Selma Hayek-Co-star of “Wild Wild West” and “Desperado”. (See the images below for pics of these Arab-Americans.)

In addition to the film industry, there are groups of people and organizations that keep this stereotype alive because it supports their self-serving motives and agendas. They can be politically motivated. “The Arab-Israeli conflict is a consistent thread in the stereotyping of Arabs and Muslims as ‘terrorists’ in the United States since at least the 1970’s… ‘Jewish extremists groups constitute an undeniable source of anti-Arab hate violence not discussed in conventional accounts of racist violence in the United States’ … The Jewish Defense League (JDL) in the 80’s was identified as “one of the most active terrorist groups in the US. A 1987 study published in an FBI Bulletin indicated that Jewish extremist organizations committed ‘approximately 20 terrorist incidents and numerous other act of violence, including extortion or threats…’ representing about one quarter or the total terrorist acts in the US in the 1980’s” (63). It is noted that these criminal studies and listings do not separately classify the Arab ethnic origin as the victims and some omit the fact that the Jewish extremists groups were the perpetrators. Foreign policy ‘imperatives’ was used selectively by the Reagan Administration in the 1980’s to make a case that Libya should be retaliated for “Arab terrorist attacks in Rome and Vienna airports that had resulted in multiple deaths and injuries” (69). He said we had “irrefutable” evidence of Qaddafi’s responsibility. “According to the FBI, there was no evidence connecting Libya to the hijacking of a Rome to Athens TWA flight or a bombing of a West Berlin nightclub, but the US carried our bombing raids against Libya nonetheless” (69). There were consequences for the Arab-Americans or anyone who looked like they are of Middle Eastern origin here in the US. There was violence against them in their “community centers, mosques, businesses and homes” (69). These are two examples of politically motivated groups who have an interest in perpetuating the myth of Arab/Muslims as terrorists.

Fear and hatred against Arabs and Muslims is unjust. We have accepted at face value the many ideas, images and not questioned the real motives of organizations that have been presented to us about Arabs and Muslims. It is important that we are aware that continuing to discriminate and persecute Arabs and Muslims is no different from the discrimination of any other ethnic or religious minority in our country. Making assumptions based on appearance, also known, as racial profiling is not only wrong but also it does not work. We must focus on actual behavior and not the physical characteristics or race, religion, ethnicity of a person. If we continue to discriminate, hate and fear Arabs and Muslims, we will undermine law enforcement efforts and give terror networks a greater chance to succeed in recruiting people we don’t expect because they don’t fit the “profile” and at the same time the very people we need to help us in our anti-terrorist campaign will be less likely to cooperate with our efforts. Marginalizing one ethnic or race or religion puts all of us at risk. Today it’s Arabs and Muslims. In WWII Germany it was Jews, and in the US-the Japanese. Good results have never come from fear and hate.

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I was more than happy to comment on Cielo article about “The Fear and Hatred against Arabs and Muslims in America. “I was like most Americans in the dark when it came to Arabs and Muslims I believed most, if not all of the things that I would see on television and in the movies. I think that most people are used to seeing these groups of people portrayed in a certain manner that they never think about the hidden agendas that are behind some of these shows. Cielo is right when she stated that “Good results have never come from fear and hate”.

I remember the first time my now husband then friend wanted to take me out on a date and my coworker at the time said “are you going out with that Palestinian.” I am not sure what she meant but I know that she did not approve. She took one look at his physicality and assumed that he was Palestinian. I later inform her that he was not and went on to make my own judgments. I cannot testify for the few that took down the World Trade Center building that killed so many people. I can say that I am a mother of three wonderful girls that are part Arabic and also Muslim. I am married to a wonderful man who happened to be also Arabic and Muslim. I can say with all honesty that he is not like what you see in the movies he is an honest hardworking individual who always supports me in all my endeavors. It is a shame that we do not take the time to know some of these people that we label as terrorist. I have learned so much and meet so many worm and kind hearted people from all walks of life, ever since I married my husband. We need to stop living in fear and try to live in peace and harmony with each other. Great job Cielo I like the fact that you showed that there are other groups of people who also commit acts of terrorism.

I would like to comment on Cielo article about “The Fear and Hatred against Arabs and Muslims in America.
I agree with her wise conclusion that “Marginalizing one ethnic or race or religion puts all of us at risk. “. I believe that throughout history society has shunned one group or another based on their ‘differentness’; not willing to see the light and look at the actual acts performed by individuals within a group.
I do think 9/11 has created a situation of distrust of Arabs and Muslims because people saw the extreme distruction of human lives and the peolpe who claimed the victory and their supporters were jubulant, as shown on TV. It would have been helpful to see the respectful members of the Arab and Muslim communities denouncing such a senseless act of violence against innocents and denouncing the people who committed these murders. I believe their silence was also an example of remaining in the dark.

I like, how Cielo points out film industry racial campaign against Arabic and Muslim people. Though researching she confirms hidden intentions to create fear, and besides to seek an enemy to blame about problems. Furthermore, the industry film is not only setting racial standards to the society, it also is setting life style including sexual behavior and worst, movies have been a tremendously dangerous school for violent behavior. Since psychological and sociological studies have expressed scholar’s worries about the movies effects into the society and mainly to the youth because all are exposed to a kind of wash-brain with the movie film industry interests. Consequently, people blame evil, but should not blame the biggest religion and culture in the word, in addition, expressing hate against almost 1.3 billion habitants of the planet, just because the deviant behavior of a fanatic deviant small group, not representative of the whole of believers, is not wise. Arabic and Muslims in America share American society values and theirs contribution to the nation cannot neglected, they are hard working people who respect others freedom and rights.

I totally agree with Cielo’s article on “The Fear and Hatred against Arabs and Muslims in America,” on how media add some further confusion and self definition of how Americans should feel towards Arabs and Muslims. The World Trade Center is the symbol of America’s economic supremacy, while the Pentagon stands for its military power. Islam and Muslims have been described by the U.S media as the source of terrorism, religious fanaticism, and cultural backwardness.

In the U.S, this wave of fear and hatred against Islam and Muslims is defined by the term Islamophobia, which was initiated in Europe in the 1990s. The term was rarely mentioned in US newspapers before 9/11. However, it became increasingly common soon thereafter.
The American media and the media of many other Western countries always tend to link Islam and Muslims in general with the 9/11 attacks. This was the time when a number of terrorists hijacked some American airplanes from airports and used them to attack the Pentagon and the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon.

The term was rarely mentioned in US newspapers before 9/11. However, it became increasingly common soon thereafter. Islamophobia was used so commonly in the U.S press after 9/11 , it became ambiguous because it is defined in a number of meanings.

Cielo is right – that “fear and hatred against Arabs and Muslims is unjust.”

It is in the context of a particular historical and legal environment that the post—September 11 targeting of Arabs and Muslims must be understood, as this context both explains Arab and Muslim fears in time of crisis and permits such targeting to be acceptable in the public eye. Government, public, and private acts as the unjustified FBI investigations of Arab- or Muslim-owned businesses, or the closing of Muslim and Arab bank accounts, or the shutting down of Muslim charities, or FBI visits to mosques and Muslim/Arab academics, or “special registration” and other targeted monitoring of persons only of Arab origin or Muslim faith have become quite an accepted part of the “war on terrorism.” Yet, should either the government or others target white Irish Catholics or Jews or another racial/”ethnic minority in such a sustained manner, they would doubtless face significant and vociferous challenge for racial or religious profiling.

Noncitizens who are Muslim, primarily from the Middle East and South Asia, have been the chief targets of the repression, but its impact is felt by all immigrants.

The 9/11/11 affected all of us in America and the world. It is unfortunate that this destructive day will always have a negative effect and image towards Arabs and Muslims.

The demonization of Arabs and Muslims in the United States, accompanied by harsh legal measures directed at them, began well before the tragedy of September 11, 2001. It can be traced to popular stereotypes, years of mythmaking by film and media, racism during times of national crisis, and a campaign to build political support for U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Since at least the 1970s, U.S. laws and policies have been founded on the assumption that Arab and Muslim noncitizens are potential terrorists and have targeted this group for special treatment under the law. The post—September 11 targeting of Muslims and Arabs is simply the latest chapter in this history.

Furthermore, federal government’s response to the tragedy of September 11, 2001, demonstrates the close relationship between immigration law and civil rights in the United States. Noncitizens historically have been vulnerable to civil rights deprivations, in no small part because the law permits, and arguably encourages, extreme governmental conduct with minimal protections for the rights of noncitizens. Unfortunately, the current backlash against Arabs and Muslims fits comfortably into a long history of U.S. government efforts to stifle political dissent. This backlash is especially troubling because of the possibility–exemplified by the internment of persons of Japanese ancestry during the Second World War–that racial, religious, and other differences have fueled the animosity toward Arabs and Muslims. They cycle will never ends.

I completely agree with Cielo, the continuing hatred of Muslims and Arabs in America, and the world, needs to end. After 9/11 we allowed the government to take away our most precious rights out of fear. Fear that around any corner, or in any airport there was a terrorist waiting to kill any Americans then can. Most Americans didn’t question when we invaded a country, wire-tapped phones, and tortured people. They were too afraid of what might happen to them if we didn’t do these things. News and media organizations didn’t help either, they let opinion dominated shows run 24 hours, allowing racist guests to have their time on air and validating their hateful opinions. Instead they could have ran factual news stories that showed the vast majority of moderate and everyday average Arabs and Muslims living in America, as normal Americans, but they choose to showcase hate filled people protesting the building of an Islamic Culture Center near Ground Zero. Most “news” anchors were calling on muslim religious leaders to denounce the Taliban and other terrorist organizations, which is very strange to me. Why should anyone have to come forward and apologize for evil done by people who terrorize in the name of some extreme interpretation of their religion? I wouldn’t ask a Christian priest to apologize for the actions of Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church. People need to understand that regular muslim people already frown upon terrorism, because they are normal people like everyone else.